Controlling means for fluid-reservoirs.



PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907.

No; 840,163. J. L. SGH'UREMAN.

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR FLUID RESBRVOIRS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1906.

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fiuerzzaij' jatc Scflwremm No 840,163. PATENTBD JAN. 1, 1907. J. L. SGHUREMAN.

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR FLUID RESERVOIRS.

APPLIOATIOH FILED JAN-16. 1908.

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Jaa Z. SWremn @Mx/ I ww PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907. J. L. SGHUREMAN. CONTROLLING MEANS FOR FLUID RESBRVOIRS.

APPLIDATIOI FILED JAN. 16. 1906.

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PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB L. SCHUREMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. CONTROLLING MEANS FOR FLUID-RESERVOIRS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1907.

Application filed anuary 16, 1906. Serial No. 296.4;25.

provement in Controllin Means for Fluid- Reservoirs, of which the fication.

My invention relates to an improvement in gages and attendant mechanism for con trolling and indicating the amount of pressure carried in a compressed-fluid tank or reservoir; and it is primarily intended for use in connection with a reservoir which in use is intermittently drawn upon for compressed air-as, for instance, for the operation of airbrakes. The reservoir receives its supply from an air-compressor operated by an electric motor, the latter being automatically started and stopped through its electrical connections with a movable electrode or contact-making hand on the gage to maintain the desired ran e of pressure in the tank.

One of t 'e obj ections to gages hitherto employed in the connection above referred to is that at no time during the initial filling of the reservoirup to the minimum number of pounds pressure at which the motor is automatically started or at any time when the pressure falls below that point can the amount of pressure-in the reservoir be ascertained by inspection of the gage, as but one electrode or movable hand is employed.

This hand indicated the reservoir-pressure when it exceeded the minimum at which the motor would automatically be started thr ough its electrical connection with adjustable stop-contacts on the gage, the hand being arrested when the pressure dropped to a point when the hand was carried into con tact with the stops. It therefore was necessary in order to be able to ascertain the pressure in the tank at all times to provide two separate gages connected with the reservoir, one for opening and closing 'the circuit through the motor by contact with electrical stops on the gage, the other the ordinary form of pressure-gage indicating the pressure from zero to the maximum.

One ofmy objects is to overcome this objection by providing in a single gage means for makin electrical contacts at arbitrary points on t e pressure-scale for automatically starting and stopping an electric motor and in combination therewith means for indicatollowing is a speci ing at all times the actual pressure in the reservoir.

"A further object is to provide a novel form of construction of gage containing means through which electrical connections are made for automatically starting and stopping a motor which supplies air under pressure to a reservoir equipped with the gage.

Myinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a face view of a gage embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a front elevation of the interior mechanism of the ga e Fig. 3, an enlarged broken view partly in e evation and partly in section, the section being taken on line 3 in Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 4, a similar view, the section being taken on line 4 in Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction ofthe arrow; Fig. 5, a section taken on line 5 in Fig. 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 6 a broken diagrammatic view showing a gage embodying my invention, its electrical connections with a reservoir-or air-tank and its electrical connections with an electricmotor for operating a pump (not shown,) which supplies air to the reservoir.

A is the gage-casing, provided with a dial A, carrying a graduated scale a. for-indicating pressures. A hand-actuating shaft B,- journaled at its inner end to the casing, is insulated at its outer end from a sleeve 0, surrounding'it, by a block of insulating material B, forming a hub. The sleeve 0 has an extension C of reduced diameter, in which a shaft C is secured to move therewith, an indicator-hand D for indicating pressure in the reservoir at all times being rigidly secured to the outer end of the shaft C The contact making and .breaking hand or electrode E is loosely secured on. the shaft 0 between the outer end of the extension C and a shoulder c on the shaft'C to be independently movable thereon. Surrounding the extension C is a coil-spring F, the ends f f of which cross each other and always extend at opposite sides of a pin 1), which is secured in the hub B in alinement with the hand 1). The hand E carries an inwardly-extending finger or stop 6, which is in position to be engaged by one end of the spring, so that when the hand E is arrested by coming in contact with one of the stops provided on contact-plates in its path, as hereinafter described, the pin I), acting against one end of the spring, the other the hand encounters the pin it.

end of the spring being held immovable by the stop e, causes the spring to flex, permitting the shaft B and the hand D to turn beyond the point at which the hand E is arrested. Upon the return of the hand D under increase of pressure to a position in alinement with the hand'E the pin 1) and stops 6 aline with each other, as shown in Fig, 6, whereupon further movement of the shaft B will cause the hands D and E to move together under the increasing pressure in the reservoir. In this movement the spring F turns on the sleeve extension serving as a bearing for it.

Any suitable means for rota-ting the shaft under varying pressures may be provided, those shown being the ones employed in gages of standard make. flexible normally curved tube G in the back of the gage-casing A, connected at .one end with a valved air-pipe G, extending from a reservoir 5, Fig; 6, and at its op osite end by a well-known combination of lin s and levers g g with a spring-held toothed segment G meshing with a pinion (not shown) on the shaft B, whereby the extending and flexing of the tube causes the shaft B to'rotate in opposite directions.

H is a metal bracket rigidly secured to the inner wall of the casing by a screw it, passing through insulating material h and carrying a binding-post 1. The bracket H terminates at its opposite end in a flat segment of a ring 72 The segment b surrounds the sleeve-C and is out of contact therewith and is provided about its periphery with an annular groove h in which groove an outwardlycurved contact plate H, provided with a split-ring portion h, is frictionally held at its ring portion to permit the contact-plate to be adjusted on its bearing k The outer end of the contact-plate H projects through an arc-shaped opening a in the dial and terminates in a pointer k registering with the scale. The pointer it carries an outward projecting pin h in the path of movement of the .hand E for making electrical contact between the pointer 71 and the hand E when A similar bracket K is secured to the opposite side of the casing by a screw is, passing through insulating material k, the screw terminating in a binding-post 3. The bracket K terminates in a flat segment of a ring 76 provided about its periphery with an annular groove 75 the ring portion k surrounding the sleeve 0, but out of contact with it.

K is a curved contact-plate, like the plate vH, provided with a flat split-ring end portion k The split-ring end portion k is fric tionally held in the annular groove k to adapt it to be adjustable about its bearing W. The curved plate K terminates at its outer end in a pointer 76', which extends through the slot a in the dial A and registers They comprise a with the scale thereon, the pointer 70 being provided with an outwardrojecting pin k in the path of movement 0? the hand E for making electrical contact with it. Fastened to and surrounding the sleeve C is a coil M, of insulated wire, connected at one end through a bracket L with a binding-post 2. The coil M forms electrical connection between the binding-post 2 and the hand E.

Referring to Fig. 6, connections between the gage, air-pump, and motor are as follows: The wires 6 7 are the main-line wires extending from a source of electrical current-supply (not shown) and provided with a switch 8.. A motor 4 actuates an air-pump (not shown) for maintaining the desired air-pressure in the reservoir 5 The main-line wires extend to binding-posts 9 and 10, respectively, on .a wall-plate N, which carries the controlling mechanism to be described. The motor shown is of the compound-wound type, a wire 11 connecting one of the terminals 12 and the heavy magnet-winding 12- with the binding-post on the wall-plate, winding 12 of'the motor connects at one of its terminals with the winding 12 and at its other terminal 12, through a wire 12 and a binding-post 12, with a contact 16* in a rheostat 15. The armature terminal 13 of the motor leads to a contact 16 of the rheostat through a binding-post 13". The arm of the rheostat is designated 14 and thecentacts of varying resistance located between the contacts 16 and 16 bythe numeral 16. The rheostat 15, as shown, isof the-form adapted to be operated to gradually cut 01.1fm resistance in the motor-circuit through the action of a solenoid 17 on a sliding metal bar 18, positioned at one end in the solenoid. The bar 18 is pivotally connected between its ends to the arm 14 and works at its opposite end in a dash-pot 19. A bar 20 in the path of movement of the bar 18 carries an insulated metal disk 21, which normally rests in contact with arms 22 and 23, extending from insulated posts 24 and 25, respectively. A resistance-coil 26 is provided between the posts 24 and 25, through which coil the current passes when the bar 18 encountering the bar 20 moves the latter and its disk out of engagement with the arms 22 and 23. A magnet-switch for opening andclosing the circuit through the motor comprises a swinging arm 27, hinged to a standard 28, the arm 27 being adapted to be held normally in spring-raised position, in which position the switch is open and the circuit through the motor is broken. The magnet-switch shown is provided with two sets of electrodes, electrodes 29 and 30 forming the main electrodes and electrodes 31 and 32 the auxiliary electrodes. The arm 27 is connected with a binding-post 33 and carries the electrodes '29 and 31, with which the arm is electrically connected. The arm 14 of the rheostat also The finer connects with the binding-post 33 through the wire 33. A wire 34 extends from the binding-post 1 on the ga e to a binding- 0st 35, the binding-post 35 eing connecte directly through a wire 34 with the bindingpost 9. A Wire 36 extends from the bindingpost 2 on the gage to .the electrode 32 through inding-posts 37 and 32, and avwire 38 extends from the binding-post 3 on the gage to'a binding-post 39 .on the wall-plate. A Wire leads from the binding-post 39 to one of the terminals of an electromagnet 41 of the magnet-switch X, the wire 40 being connected between its terminals with one end of the solenoid 17, the other end of the solenoid being connected with the post 25 by a wire 17. A wire 43 connects the binding-post 9 with the electrode 30,'and a wire connects the electrode 32 with the other terminal of the magnet 41 through binding-posts 44and 32*.

,The operationof the apparatus is as follows: Assuming, for example, that it is desired that the pressure in the reservoir 5 be maintained between one hundred and one hundred and fifty pounds and that it is empty, the contact-plate H is turned in the groove 7L3 until the pointer 7L registers with the one-hundred-pound mark on the scale, and the contact-plate K is likewise adjusted to cause the pointer 76 to register with the one-hundred-and-fifty-pound mark. Under these conditions the indicator D will rest at the zero-mark on the scale and the hand E at the one-hundred-pound mark against the stop h, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, inwhich position electrical contact may be made between the hand E and the stop h The switch 8 in the main line is thereupon closed by hand, which causes the current to pass through the wire 6, binding-posts 9 and 35,

and we 34 to the binding-post 1, and thenceto binding-post 2 through the bracket H,

I contact-point h, hand E, coil M, and bracket L. From the binding-post 2 the current passes through wire 36 to the binding-posts 37 and 32*. From the binding-post 32 the current passes tnrou h the wire 45' to the magnet 41 to energize the same, passing thence through the wire 40, the solenoidwire 17, post 25, disk 21, post 24. to post 10, at which last-named post connection is made with the other line-wire 7. The current from the main line thus passing through the magnet 41 to energize it, as stated, causes the armature 27 of the magnet-switch to be depressed and the main and the auxiliary and auxiliary electrodes closes the circuit between the main line and the motor, the circuit then being as follows: through wire 7, binding-post 10, wires 11 and 12, thence through magnet-windings 12 wire 12, binding-post 12, wire 12 rheostat contact 16, arm 14, W118 33, to swinging arm 27 of the magnet- 29 30 and 31 32', respectively, to, ,contact. This drawing together of the main switch. From the swinging-arm 27 the current passes through the main electrodes 29 and 30 to post 9 throu h the wire 43. In addition to the circuit t ough the finer winding 12 of the motor a circuit is made throu h the heavy winding 12 and wire 13 to t e rheostat contact 16 by reason of the current dividing at the connection between the winding 12* and the wire 12. Thus when the motor starts a relatively small amount of current passes through the heavy winding, owing to the resistance offered by the rheostat; but as the arm is carried over the rheostat contacts by the action of the solenoid on the bar 18 the current increases through the heavy winding until when the contact 16 is reached the maximum current passes through the heavy winding 12*, when the motor runs at full speed. When the magnet-switch closes, a circuit in addition to the one gust described through the motor is produce Wire 6 through binding-post 9, wire 43 to the electrode 30,- thence through electrodes 30,

29, 31, and 32 to binding-post 32*. From the bindingpost 32 the current passes through the wire 45' and binding- 0st 44 to the magnet 41, thence through t e magnet 41, through wire ,40 to solenoid 17, through the solenoid and wire 17 to post 25, thence to disk 21 post 24, and wire 42 to the binding-post 10. This circuit through the switchmagnet X is maintained with full strength until the rheostat 14 reaches the contact 16*, when the bar 18 strikes the bar 20, pus

the disk 21 out of contactwith the arms 22 and 23, whereupon the current instead of passing through the low-resistance disk is forced to pass through the resistance-coil 26, which greatly reduces the current through the last-described circuit, but thr h which circuit enough current is maintaine to keep the ma nets 41 and 17 sufiiciently energized to hold the switches controlled thereby closed until the current through the magnet is interrupted. When the pressure-in the air-tank reaches one hundred and fifty pounds, the hand E encounters the stop k and an electrical circuit will be made through wires 36 and 38, whereupon the current ina current passing from the line- 7 stead of passing through the magnet 41 traverses the following circuit: from the binding-post 9 through wire 43, electrodes 30, 29, 31, and 32, through wire 36 to binding-post 2, thence through the hand E, contact-point k", to post 3. From the post 3 the current passes throughvwire 38 to post 39, thencethrough the wire 40 to solenoid connection, through the solenoid 17, wire 17, post 25, coil 26, post 24, and wire 42 to post 10. ,The

circuit last described being established between the line-wires 6 and 7 short-circuits the magnet 41 causing it to become deenergized, whereupon the arm 27 of the magnet-switch. raises and the current through the electrodes of thenswitchemagnet is broken,

thus breaking the circuit throfihthe motor. When "the pressure-.111 the ta .falls.to.one

hundred pounds, the :hand E. encounters .the

stophfland a circuit isimmediately made between'the hand E andsto 6for clos' the switch and maintaining itc osed, as descr1bed, until .the contactoint Jails again encoun{ tered by the hand v vWhile I have :described my invention. in

' connection-with aparticular form of rheostat .and motor-circuit opening and closing withthe particulartype of motor shown, as

' any-means controlled and brea of the gage onmakingandbreakingthe cirv y thelcontact making hand orv electrode and. contacts cuit'through the motor or any type .ofmotor suitable for the purpose .may beemployed without departure from my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire-to secure by Letters Patent, is

1.- In a .pressureage, the combination With ascale, of an in 'cator adapted to llldl".

cateall pressures on the gage, an electrode movable'withrelation to said indicator and adapted to traverse only a ortion of its range, contacts for said electro e atthe, opposite limits of its movement, and pressure-actuated. means connected with said indicator and operating to move it and said electrode, for the purpose set forth.

In :a pressure-gage, vthe combination witha scale, of an indicator adapted to indicateallpressures on the ga e, and an electrode on a common axis wit said indicator and 'movable with relation to said indicator and. adapted to traverse only a portion of its range, contactsfor said electrode at the oppositelimits of its movement, and pressureactuated means connected with said indicator and operating to move it andsaid electrode, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a pressure-gage, 7 the combination with a scale, of an indicator adapted to indicateall pressures on the ga e, and an electrodeon a common axis wit said indicator and movable with relation tosaidindicator and adapted to traverse only a portion of its range, separate arbitrarily-disposed electrical contacts for-said electrode: at the opposite limits of its movement, and pressure- .actuated means connected with said indicator and operating to move it and said electrode, for the purpose set forth.

4. ha pressure-gage the combination of separate arbitrarily-dis osed electrical contacts, a shaft, an indicator on the shaft, movable to indicate reservoirr'essure, an electrode resiliently connecte with said shaft to adapt it to be moved with said indicator between said contacts and means actuated by the pressure in the reservoir for moving said indicator and; electrode, whereby thedndicator will show at all times the reservoir-pressures and the electrode encounter the contacts'for making electricaiconnection therewith.-

5.. Ina pressure-gage, .the combination of' separate arbitrarily-disposed electrical con-- tacts, a-shaft provided with a stop, anindicator on theshaft and movable therewith for registering reservoir? ressure, .an .electrodegpositioned on the s ft to cause it to encounter said contacts, and provided with a stop,-the electrode being loosely mounted on the shaft to adapt'it to. be arrested by said contacts when encountered during its varying movements, a coil-springabout the shaft having its ends crossed over said stops to causesaid spring ends to be in the path of said stops, whereby the electrode will move with said indicator between said contacts and the springwill. be causedto flex when-the shaft is rotated beyond the points atwhich theelectrode is arrested, and means actuated by thereservoir-pressures for moving said indicator and electrode, whereby the indicator willshow at. alltimes thereservoirpressure and the electrode makeselectrical connections with the contacts.

6. A pressurewgage comprising, in-combination, a dial provided with a pressure-scale andhaving an opening concentric with the scale, separate electrical contacts projecting 1 through said 0 ening and adjustable therein relative to eac other, a shaft provided with a stop, an indicator secured on said shaft for registering reservoirressure, an electrode positione on the sha t to cause it to encounter said contactsand provided with a stop,

the electrode being loosely secured to the shaft to adapt it to be arrested by said contacts when encountered during its varying movements, a coil-spring about the shaft having its ends crossed over said stops to cause said spring ends to be in the path of said stops, whereby the electrode is movable with said indicator between said contacts and the spring is caused to flex when the shaft is ro- 7. In a pressure-gage, the combination with a .casing, of a central support, a movable electrode on said support, and adjustable contact members supported concentric with and surrounding said central support.

8. In a pressure-gage for the purpose set forth, the combination with a casing, of-

brackets secured to said casing in relatively arbitrary positions and insulated from each other, each provided with a eripherallygrooved ring portion positione centrally of I3o the casing, contactlates provided at their outer extremity wit contact-points and adjustably secured on the respective ring portions of the brackets, an electrode movable between said contact-points for forming electrical connections therewith and means actuated by the pressure in the reservoir for actuating said electrode, whereby the electrode will be caused to encounter and make electrical connections with the contacts.

9. In a pressure-gage for the purpose set forth, the combination of a casing, a dial provided with an 0 ening, contact members in said casing ins ated from each other, the outer ends of said members terminating in contacts extending through the opening in said dial, said contacts being ada ted to be adjusted inde' endently of each ot er in said opening, an e ectrode movable between said contacts for forming electrical connections therewith, and means actuated by the pres- 4 trode sure in the reservoir for actuating said electrode, whereby the electrode will be caused to encounter and make electrical connections with the contacts. 10. In a pressure-gage for the purpose set forth, the combination with a casing of a dial provided with an opening, brackets secured to the casing and insulated from each other, contact members adjustable on said brackets and terminating in contacts extending through the opening in said dial, an electrode movable between said contacts for forming electrical connections therewith, and means actuated by the ressure in the reservoir for actuatin said e ectrode, whereby the elecbe caused to encounter and make electrical connection with said contacts.

JACOB L. SCHTIREMAN. Inpresence ofp Y J. H. LANDES,

A. U. THORIEU. 

